NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday reiterated that the Aam Aadmi Party government will start providing free Wi-Fi Internet service, a key poll promise of his party, to residents in the national capital 'soon'.
The AAP convenor said that the work to provide free Wi-Fi has started. Kejriwal made these remarks while addressing a press conference in the national capital during which he said that every user will be given 15 GB data free, every month at a speed of 200mbps.
''11,000 hotspots will be installed across Delhi. The work to provide free Wi-Fi has started. Every user will be given 15 GB data free, every month. This is the first phase,'' the Delhi CM said.
Sharing more details, the CM said that the Delhi cabinet has cleared the proposal to install 11,000 hotspots in the first phase. The free Wi-Fi Internet services will begin in 3-4 months time.
The AAP leader said that out of 11,000 hotspots, 4,000 will be installed at the bus stops, while remaining 7,000 will be installed in assembly constituencies across Delhi.
At least 200 people will be able to use the Wi-Fi services at each hotspot within a range of 50 metres.
Regarding his government's plan of installing CCTVs across the national capital, he said around 1 lakh and 40,000 CCTVs will be installed in various locations in Delhi. He added a total of 2 lakh and 80,000 CCTVs will be installed in the national capital. Around 4000 CCTVs will be installed in each assembly segment in Delhi, he added.
Kejriwal-led AAP had earlier made the promise to Delhiites that if the party comes to power in the national capital, it would provide free Wi-Fi Internet service across Delhi.
It had helped the party garner support among the youth ahead of the Assembly polls in February 2015.
It may be recalled that Kejriwal's party came third in the four parliamentary seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha 2019 election. His announcement regarding free Wi-Fi holds significance since the assembly elections are just nine months away.
On Monday, the AAP supremo had announced populist measures such free rides on Metro and bus fares for women commuters, which he claimed would become operational over the next two-three months. The freebies are likely to cost around Rs 1,600 crore a year of the exchequer.
In the AAP manifesto for the 2015 assembly election, Kejriwal had promised “to make Wi-Fi freely available in public spaces across Delhi.
''Citywide Wi-Fi can help in bridging the digital divide. It will also provide an impetus to education, entrepreneurship, business, employment and also tie in with women’s safety initiatives,” the AAP manifesto said.